Author: news

Beginning in World War I, there was a serious debate over how to arm aircrews. Many pilots carried a sidearm before planes were even armed, and the apocryphal story concerning the beginning of aerial combat, is that the first “dogfight” was with pistols from passing pilots. This then quickly evolved into rifles, rifles with extended magazines, multiple pistols, and then finally (and thankfully) machineguns being usefully mounted on aircraft. As aerial warfare evolved, aircraft were armed with an array of machineguns, cannon, rockets, bombs, and eventually air-to-air missiles. However, all of these armaments generally did the pilot little good if…

For months, I’ve been hiking and running in the Sierra Mountains, traipsing sandstone cliffs in Utah, and recreating in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, barefoot. Or, at least, close to barefoot, while wearing the minimalist zero-drop Notace Yama T1 shoes. Barefoot running has reached a surprising level of popularity. People have latched onto the idea that zero-drop “barefoot shoes” can support the body’s natural mechanics by facilitating movement that reduces impact. That concept is what drove the Boulder, Colo.-based running brand Notace to launch its first shoe, the Yama T1. Notace’s founder, Cedric Scotto, leveraged his background in footwear manufacturing and…

Benelli USA has recently unveiled a new version of its legendary gas-operated M4 Tactical shotgun to the U.S. commercial market with the arrival of the Benelli M4 EXT.  The Benelli M4 EXT closely resembles the military issue Benelli M1014. M4 EXT shotguns offer a seven-round tubular magazine capacity, the signature five-position adjustable stock that incorporates a pistol grip and an oversize bolt release. In addition Benelli M4 EXT shotguns will be available in black, flat dark earth and Multicam Black. The Benelli M4 is a tactical semi-automatic shotgun chambered for 12-gauge shells. This defensive shotgun includes a threaded barrel that…

By Matthew McClellan Posted in #Gear There’s something invigorating about heading into the backwoods with only the essentials on your person. Walking through the forest provides a sense of peace and tranquility that urban areas fail to deliver. The environment, your equipment, and you are the only things that exist in those spaces, and entering them without proper planning can constitute dangerous behavior. Over the years, I’ve seen hikers head out with minimal supplies — such as a water bottle and a pocket knife — and come back with blisters and dehydration. I’ll admit, I used to…

New for December 2025, Terrain 365 releases the newest variant of their Invictus folder design featuring a unique, patented button lock integrated into the folder pivot. Other highlights include their technical, rustproof X edge-holding, Terravantium alloy blade, C3 dive-grade lume thumbstud cabochons, titanium handles scales with signature fullers, titanium hardware, a full titanium backspacer with jimping and a titanium, low ride pocket clip. A high-performance folder for wilderness and urban carry. Terrain 365 is Adventure Tools for All Terrains. The Invictus-BL is available with full titanium handles and features the unique, patented button lock. Creative Director and Co-Founder Patrick Ma…

The latest Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) is live. The Lost Coast BDR-X is the 20-second published route. It is a 500-mile figure-eight loop through northern California’s Lost Coast, a mostly undeveloped stretch of rugged coastline. The route is designed for adventure and dual-sport motorcycle travel, but can also be done with a high-clearance 4×4. The route is designed to start and end in Fort Bragg. It’s a mix of pavement, gravel, dirt, rocks, and even sand. Yes, you can ride out on the beach at Usal Beach and Shelter Cove Beach on this route. The route also has lots of…

Howell—in Monmouth County, New Jersey—joined 11 other Garden State municipalities in late November when it announced it would also be refunding a significant portion of the fee paid by residents for a permit to carry. In 2022 New Jersey increased the cost of its permits to $200, with $150 going to the municipality/borough in which the applicant lives. The remaining $50 goes to the state police.  Englishtown Borough, NJ, was the first to join the refund movement, which is being spearheaded by NRA, the New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate and other defenders of the Second Amendment. “In my capacity as…

Shield Sights, the company best known for pioneering the smallest open-emitter slide-mounted red-dot sights on the market, released a number of new products at SHOT Show 2025, and the OMSsc red-dot sight is one of those items. I recall it wasn’t too long ago that it made a splash when it was launched in conjunction with Springfield Armory’s new Hellcat OSP chambered for .380 ACP. At first glance the OMSsc (Open Mini Sight subcompact) stands out for two reasons: First, it has a translucent clear acrylic top, a feature that Shield Sights is quite proud of. Second, the OMSsc is…

70 years of Savotta 70 years of Savotta and a 100 years since founder Allan Halme was born. This Swedish pack manufacturer created a limited run of 70 year history booklets for their staff, but now this magnificent opus is also available in digital form for all the world to enjoy. It covers the full history of Savotta, from 1955 to 2025, so there’s quite a lot for you to take in. This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 at 14:00 and is filed under Catalog, International, Packs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the…

Italian firearms furniture company WOOX has just released stocks and handguards compatible with Kalashnikov pattern rifles and carbines. This new product line is known as the WOOX Forty-Seven series. The lineup includes two different rifle stock options, a pistol grip and two separate handguards. One of WOOX’s signature moves is including hardwoods in its products, and the WOOX Forty-Seven line is no exception. The stock set includes a walnut stock and a modern low-profile stock. Both have the ability to fold to the side, like the classic AKS-74 and AK-100 series stocks.  WOOX’s AK-47 handguards also incorporate walnut in addition…